Alternative counselling services

Alternative counselling services in the community

Students are able to access other counselling services in the community by referral from their GP or direct self-referral. These counselling services operate independently and are not part of the University Counselling Service. They have been set up as a result of the government's clinical commissioning group initiative and operate in the Tees Valley.

Other counselling services

Alliance Psychological Services Limited

24 Yarm Road, Stockton, TS18 3NA

Telephone: 01642 352747

Alliance are one of the approved providers of the Primary Care Psychological Therapies Service commissioned by NHS Tees. Alliance provide therapy and accept referrals from across Teesside (Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Redcar).

Appointments, throughout the Teesside area, are made through either GP surgeries or at one of our central offices, the nearest to Teesside University would either be the offices at Queens Court which is located next to Middlesbrough Bus Station or at the Life Store which is in Middlesbrough Town Centre. From these offices we offer CBT, Counselling, Interpersonal Therapy, EMDR and Anger Management.

The majority of the therapy work is on a one to one basis, however on occasion when a client is appropriate and willing to join a group they also offer psychoeducation for anxiety and depression (4 week course) and Anger Management (7 week course) in a group format. Students at the University would be able to access therapy at whichever location was most convenient, for example somebody living in Redcar but attending University would be able to access therapy in our Middlesbrough offices.

The service is completely free and confidential, with the only exception of risk of harm to self or to others as with the University Counselling Service.

Anybody wishing to self-refer into Alliance can do this through contacting us on 01642 352747. From this point a brief screening can be done either over the telephone or face to face. The screening is designed to assess the most appropriate form of therapy for each client and their availability for appointments. Following assessment an appointment to begin therapy is offered as soon as possible to each client.

Alliance also have two members of staff who are able to speak different languages, within Middlesbrough we have someone who speaks Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu.

To gain access to the service you need to be registered with a GP in Middlesbrough or Redcar & Cleveland and should be 16 years or over. If you are between 16 and 18 and attending full time education you cannot access the service. You can contact MIND directly yourself or someone else can refer you such as a GP or other professional/service. There are no costs to you as the student – the service is free at the point off access as long as you meet the referral criteria.

Mind Psychological Therapies offer a range of services which can include:

Guided self-help – sessions which involve a therapist guiding you through self-help materials in order to aid you in learning how to manage your difficulties and put some coping strategies into place.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – can help you by focussing on unhelpful thoughts and behaviours that may be affecting how you feel. Changing these can help you to manage any difficulties your experiencing and approach life in a more positive way.

Counselling – can provide you with a safe and regular space for you to talk and explore difficult feelings. It aims to help you to deal with and overcome issues that are causing pain or making you feel distressed.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) - is proven to be particularly effective for the treatment of trauma. Negative emotions, feelings and behaviours are often caused by unresolved earlier experiences that are pushing you in the wrong directions. The goal of EMDR therapy is to leave you with the emotions, understanding, and perspectives that will lead to healthy and useful behaviours and interactions.

Following your referral they will make arrangements with you to complete an assessment of your needs to see what kind of support would be most suitable for you.

The process from referral to assessment happens within 10 working days. Once what kind of support has been decided would be helpful you will be placed on a short waiting list – depending on the kind of support you are having you will have your first appointment between 10 and 28 working days following your assessment.

This Service delivers free and accessible evidence-based interventions to the people of Teesside provided on behalf of the NHS. They support people with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Services offered include:

Cognitive behavioural therapy interventions are conducted by telephone, face to face, online, or in one of our courses.

Counselling which is conducted in a face to face one to one setting.

The service is flexible in terms of appointment location and open to people living in Teesside aged 16+ (16-18 not in full-time education). Talking Matters have therapy rooms in their office based on Linthorpe Road (opposite the University). Practitioners are also able to book appointments in other locations such as GP surgeries, library's, or community centres.

The process to engage with counselling involves the following 3 steps:

Referral - call the office and make a self-referral or complete online referral form. You will be booked into a telephone screening assessment.

Screening - 20-30 minute call by one of our practitioners. You will complete a questionnaire which measures mood and anxiety levels then identify the most appropriate treatment option.

If you are hearing or speech impaired you can dial 18001 before the helpline number to use Text Relay services.

The Telephone Helpline consists of a team of highly trained and experienced support workers who use counselling skills to provide you with emotional guidance and information.

You might choose to call if:

You are feeling low, anxious or stressed and feel talking to another person might help you cope.

You are in extreme emotional distress and feel that there is nowhere else to turn.

You may be caring for another person and finding it difficult to cope.

Contacting the Helpline can give you a feeling of relief, wellbeing and peace of mind. You won't be judged and the service is confidential unless they consider that there is a risk to yourself or others.

More information

Our confidential counselling service can support you through any personal or academic difficulties and develop constructive ways forward.